Professional Android Application Development (Wrox Programmer to Programmer)

Reto Meier's Professional Android 2 Application Development does a great job of educating the reader on what is necessary for developing Android applications. Core application fundamentals and advanced Android features are presented to the reader via a series of real-life application examples. Readers who work the examples and leverage the breadth of coverage provided on the Android 2 framework will be well on their way towards establishing an excellent foundation for building compelling Android applications.After giving the customary history lesson and tour of the toolsets and development environment, the first half of the book deals with the components that make up an application. Chapters are devoted to activities and life cycle, UI views, data and file access, and key Android concepts like intents (message-passing mechanisms) and content providers (ability to expose data to other apps).Once the fundamentals have been covered, the remainder of the book is spent exploring the advanced and optional features available in the SDK. Android-centric concepts like background services, notifications and widgets are given the same in depth treatment given to the fundamentals so you get a lot of the "why" along with the how. Features and functionality that naturally lend them to being abstracted away via an API like media playback, GPS and Bluetooth are given adequate coverage of what is available via the framework and, where pertinent, the Android-specific behaviors are highlighted.While the book is divided into fundamentals and advanced topics, continuity is maintained throughout via the example applications used to emphasize the concepts presented. By building the to-do list, compass, and earthquake monitoring service applications while reading through the book, passive learning is transformed into active, directed learning. Unlike some programming books I've read in the past, these examples do real work, accomplish specific real-life tasks, and provide some utility once completed. Readers are not just extending these applications one feature at a time, they are also adding one key concept to their proverbial tool belt while doing it.The speed at which the Android platform is being evolved and improved upon is staggering. Since April 2009 there has been 4 major releases of the Android OS with a 5th release rumored for this fall. While the breadth of coverage provided for the APIs and framework is nice while it is still relevant, the real strength of this book comes building an understanding of the core Android fundamentals. Readers looking for a solid introduction to Android development need to look no further than Professional Android 2 Application Development. A hands-on guide to building mobile applications, Professional Android Application Development features concise and compelling examples that show you how to quickly construct real-world mobile applications for Android phones. Fully up-to-date for version 1.0 of the Android software development kit, it covers all the essential features, and explores the advanced capabilities of Android (including GPS, accelerometers, and background Services) to help you construct increasingly complex, useful, and innovative mobile applications for Android phones. What this book includes An introduction to mobile development, Android, and how to get started. An in-depth look at Android applications and their life cycle, the application manifest, Intents, and using external resources. Details for creating complex and compelling user interfaces by using, extending, and creating your own layouts and Views and using Menus. A detailed look at data storage, retrieval, and sharing using preferences, files, databases, and Content Providers. Instructions for making the most of mobile portability by creating rich map-based applications as well as using location-based services and the geocoder. A look at the power of background Services, using threads, and a detailed look at Notifications. Coverage of Android's communication abilities including SMS, the telephony APIs, network management, and a guide to using Internet resources Details for using Android hardware, including media recording and playback, using the camera, accelerometers, and compass sensors. Advanced development topics including security, IPC, advanced 2D / 3D graphics techniques, and user–hardware interaction. Who this book is for This book is for anyone interested in creating applications for the Android mobile phone platform. It includes information that will be valuable whether you're an experienced mobile developer or making your first foray, via Android, into writing mobile applications. It will give the grounding and knowledge you need to write applications using the current SDK, along with the flexibility to quickly adapt to future enhancements. What is this book about?

Expert One-on-One J2EE Development without EJB shows Java developers and architects how to build robust J2EE applications without having to use Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB). This practical, code-intensive guide provides best practices for using simpler and more effective methods and tools, including JavaServer pages, servlets, and lightweight frameworks.

What does this book cover?

The book begins by examining the limits of EJB technology — what it does well and not so well. Then the authors guide you through alternatives to EJB that you can use to create higher quality applications faster and at lower cost — both agile methods as well as new classes of tools that have evolved over the past few years.

They then dive into the details, showing solutions based on the lightweight framework they pioneered on SourceForge — one of the most innovative open source communities. They demonstrate how to leverage practical techniques and tools, including the popular open source Spring Framework and Hibernate. This book also guides you through productive solutions to core problems, such as transaction management, persistence, remoting, and Web tier design. You will examine how these alternatives affect testing, performance, and scalability, and discover how lightweight architectures can slash time and effort on many projects.

What will you learn from this book?

Here are some details on what you'll find in this book:

• How to find the simplest and most maintainable architecture for your application
• Effective transaction management without EJB
• How to solve common problems in enterprise software development using AOP and Inversion of Control
• Web tier design and the place of the Web tier in a well-designed J2EE application
• Effective data access techniques for J2EE applications with JDBC, Hibernate, and JDO
• How to leverage open source products to improve productivity and reduce custom coding
• How to design for optimal performance and scalability

A Hands–on Guide To Building Mobile Applications, Professional Android Application Development Features Concise And Compelling Examples That Show You How To Quickly Construct Real–world Mobile Applications For Android Phones. Fully Up–to–date For Version 1.0 Of The Android Software Development Kit, It Covers All The Essential Features, And Explores The Advanced Capabilities Of Android (including Gps, Accelerometers, And Background Services) To Help You Construct Increasingly Complex, Useful, And Innovative Mobile Applications For Android Phones. What This Book Includes An Introduction To Mobile Development, Android, And How To Get Started. An In–depth Look At Android Applications And Their Life Cycle, The Application Manifest, Intents, And Using External Resources. Details For Creating Complex And Compelling User Interfaces By Using, Extending, And Creating Your Own Layouts And Views And Using Menus. A Detailed Look At Data Storage, Retrieval, And Sharing Using Preferences, Files, Databases, And Content Providers. Instructions For Making The Most Of Mobile Portability By Creating Rich Map–based Applications As Well As Using Location–based Services And The Geocoder. A Look At The Power Of Background Services, Using Threads, And A Detailed Look At Notifications. Coverage Of Android′s Communication Abilities Including Sms, The Telephony Apis, Network Management, And A Guide To Using Internet Resources Details For Using Android Hardware, Including Media Recording And Playback, Using The Camera, Accelerometers, And Compass Sensors. Advanced Development Topics Including Security, Ipc, Advanced 2d / 3d Graphics Techniques, And User Hardware Interaction. Who This Book Is For This Book Is For Anyone Interested In Creating Applications For The Android Mobile Phone Platform. It Includes Information That Will Be Valuable Whether You′re An Experienced Mobile Developer Or Making Your First Foray, Via Android, Into Writing Mobile Applications. It Will Give The Grounding And Knowledge You Need To Write Applications Using The Current Sdk, Along With The Flexibility To Quickly Adapt To Future Enhancements. Working as an effective professional Java developer requires you to know Java APIs, tools, and techniques to solve a wide variety of Java problems. Building upon Ivor Horton's Beginning Java 2, this resource shows you how to use the core features of the latest JDK as well as powerful open source tools such as Ant, JUnit, and Hibernate. It will arm you with a well-rounded understanding of the professional Java development landscape. The expert author team begins by uncovering the sophisticated Java language features, the methodology for developing solutions, and steps for exploiting patterns. They then provide you with a collection of real-world examples that will become an essential part of your developer's toolkit. With this approach, you'll gain the skills to build advanced solutions by utilizing the more complex and nuanced parts of Java JDK 6. What you will learn from this book How to use tools to make your work easier and more productive Methods to develop effective user interfaces with Java Foundation Classes (JFC) Steps to build web applications using the Model 1 and Model 2 architectures Ways to interact with the databases and XML using JDBC and JAXB Techniques for developing enterprise applications using EJB 3.0 and web services How to package and deploy Java applications Who this book is for This book is for Java developers who are looking for an all-purpose resource, are ready for more advanced Java solutions and language features, and need assistance when tackling new Java problems that may be outside their technological experience. Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job. Chapter 9: Interacting with C/C++ Using Java Native Interface -- A First Look at Java Native Interface -- Java Native Interface -- Developing an Email Client -- Summary -- Chapter 10: EJB 3 and the Java Persistence API -- New Features -- Java Persistence API (JPA) -- Summary -- Chapter 11: Communicating between Java Components and Components of Other Platforms -- Component Communication Scenarios -- Overview of Interprocess Communication and Basic Network Architecture -- Sockets -- Remote Method Invocation -- Common Object Request Broker Architecture -- Web Services -- Summary -- Chapter 12: Service Oriented Integration -- Service Oriented Architecture -- Enabling Technology -- Java Management Extensions -- Java Messaging Service -- System Integration Patterns -- Summary -- Chapter 13: Java Security -- Java Cryptography Architecture and Java Cryptography Extension ( JCA/JCE) -- Program Security Using JAAS -- Summary -- Chapter 14: Packaging and Deploying Your Java Applications -- Examining Java Classpaths -- Investigating the Endorsed Directory -- Exploring Java Archives -- Manipulating JAR Files -- Analyzing Applets -- Exploring Web Applications -- Packaging Enterprise JavaBeans -- Inspecting Enterprise Archives -- Jumping into Java Web Start -- Using Ant with Web Archives -- Summary -- Index

what Is This Book About?

professional Java Builds Upon ivor Horton's Beginning Java To Provide The Reader With An Understanding Of How Professionals Use Java To Develop Software Solutions.  pro Java  Starts With An Overview Of Best Methods And Tools For Developing Java Applications.   It Then Examines The The More Sophisticated And Nuanced Parts Of The Java Jdk.  The Final And Most Extensive Part Of The Book Shows How To Implement These Ideas To Build Real-world Applications, Using Both java Apis As Well As Related Java Open Source Tools.  In Short, This Book Provides A Comprehensive Treatment of The Professional Java Development Process, Without Losing Focus In Exhaustive Coverage Of Isolated Features And Apis. 

"Build mobile applications using Android SDK with the hands-on information in Professional Android Application Development, a guide to Android platform features, techniques and practices. Follow the concise and compelling examples, which will show you how to quickly construct real-world mobile applications for Android phones. With a series of exercises designed to introduce new concepts, this book will guide you through an introduction to the Android software stack and the philosophy behind creating robust, consistent, and appealing applications for mobile phones so that you can construct increasingly complex mobile phone projects."--BOOK JACKET Whether you’re an experienced mobile engineer, a desktop or web developer, or a complete programming novice, Android represents an exciting new opportunity to write innovative applications for mobile devices. Despite the name, Android will not help you create an unstoppable army of emotionless robot warriors on a relentless quest to cleanse the earth of the scourge of humanity. Instead, Android is an open source software stack that includes the operating system, middleware, and key applications along with a set of API libraries for writing mobile applications that can shape the look, feel, and function of mobile handsets... "What you will learn from this book: how to find the simplest and most maintainable architecture for your application; effective transaction management without EJB; how to solve common problems in enterprise software development using AOP and inversion of Control; Web tier design and the place of the web tier in a well-designed J2EE application; effective data access techniques for J2EE applications with JDBC, Hibernate, and JDO; how to leverage open source products to improve productivity and reduce custom coding; and how to design for optimal performance and scalability."--Jacket A hands-on guide to building mobile applications, this book features concise and compelling examples that show you how to quickly construct real-world mobile applications for Android phones. Fully up-to-date for version 1.0 of the Android SDK, it covers all the essential features, and explores the advanced capabilities of Android. A guide to the tools and techniques of Java JDK also covers when to use Java open source tools; the techniques to implement and restore funcationality to an application; and how to interact with other language libraries. A guide to alternatives to EJB covers such topics as managing transactions, designing applications, accessing data, using open source products to increase productivity, and solving problems.